Implementation of SDGs should be country-led and country-owned

Sep 21, 2017

High Level Side Event- ‘The SDGs in Action: Country-Led, Country-Owned,’ organized by the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) and its Results Group on Sustainable Development and Sustaining Peace (Photo: Freya Morales/UNDP)

New York, 21 September- Making the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) a reality will require new thinking and innovative partnerships between all stakeholders highlighted the high level side event –‘The SDGs in Action: Country-Led, Country-Owned,’ organized by the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) and its Results Group on Sustainable Development and Sustaining Peace.

This high level side event organized at the helm of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly continues to advocate the nature of the 2030 Agenda—‘country-led and country-owned,’ as reflected at the UNDG high level event during the HLPF 2017 earlier this year, which discussed the support services offered by the UN Development System to the Member States to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.

At the event today, UN Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Amina J. Mohammed in her key note remarks stated, “We have hit the SDGs walking – not yet running – and we need to pick up the pace. Progress will only be achieved through genuine and meaningful partnerships.” She further stated, “The 2030 Agenda is the international community’s best tool for a more prosperous and peaceful world. It is more than a dream. It is a dream with targets and deadlines. And we are all accountable. The Governments to their people. The UN to the countries and communities we serve. We are here to support nationally-led action.”

Host of the event, Mr. Achim Steiner, the UNDG Chair and the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said, "In the SDGs we have found a common language in identifying the challenges and opportunities in development. We need new partnerships- we need investment bankers to work with rural farmers, policy makers with activists."

The participants at the event discussed sustainable development and sustaining peace, and the importance of prevention and risk management for the SDGs. They discussed the range of initiatives and lessons learned to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in their countries and regional settings, including those vulnerable and conflict-affected.

Furthermore, the event reinforced the commitment to ‘Leave No One Behind’ and reaching the furthest behind first, touching on the empowerment of women and girls, the situation of migrants around the world and on making universal health coverage a reality. The event concluded that the scale and nature of development and peace challenges require close strategic and operational partnerships among national Governments, the UN and other key stakeholders.

The side event also marked the launch of the 2016 UNDG results report: Lift Off: Agenda 2030—Shared Results of the UNDG in 2016. The new report captures the collective results and impact achieved by the UN Development System through 131 UN Country Teams supporting 165 countries and territories, as well as by the UNDG at the regional and global levels. The report is now available at undg.org

Other Quotes

H.E. Mr. Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of The Gambia- We have proudly reaffirmed our commitment to the regional and global agendas, including the African Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). My government is providing strong leadership for achievement of SDGs linked to our national priorities. We are ensuring the full participation of all stakeholders and instituting effective coordination and accountability structures.

H.E. Mr. Almazbek Atambaev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic- “We have prioritized people and people’s education. Our 24% of the country’s budget is earmarked for education. We do not have oil or gas so we have to invest in our people. Some of the areas that we focus on are: cutting poverty, ensuring food security, health, education, economic growth, environment, energy and having a strong civil society.”

H.E. Mr. Jong-moon Choi, Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs of the Republic of Korea- “We are working on establishing an ODA Results Management Framework to mainstream the SDGs across our ODA policies. This will systematically link the SDGs with our ten priorities for development cooperation, which includes education, health, public administration, rural development, water, energy, and climate change.”

Ms. Norma Munguía, General Director for Global Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mexico - “We aligned SDGs with National Development Plan for full commitment and fulfillment of the goals. For Mexico, the SDGs are a reference for more effective development policies where government actions alone are not sufficient.”

Ms. Mavic Cabrera Balleza, Founder and CEO of Global Network of Women Peacebuilders – “Sustaining peace and sustaining development are not projects, they must be rooted in the best of best cultures, based in diversity, gender and equitable distribution of resources. Promoting culture of peace and dialogue should not just apply for conflict affected countries but for all.”

Director General, William Lacy Swing, International Office of Migration – “Migration is one of the truly cross cutting issues of our times. It can be a brain drain for countries but with the right diaspora it can be a brain circulation. Migration is already well embedded in SDGs framework. SDGs and the Global Compact will mutually reinforce one another. We remain a dedicated partner to support the Member States for SDGs implementation.”